An External Wall Inspection (EWI) typically involves assessing the condition and safety of the outer walls of a building or the structure. This is usually done by a qualified building inspector or engineer who will look at façade configuration, material combustibility, workmanship, and compliance with building regulations.

If any issues are identified, the inspector will provide a detailed report outlining the problem, its severity, and recommendations for any remedial action. Depending on the severity of the issue, this may involve repair work, or replacement of the affected areas of the wall.

The PAS 9980:2022 document is a code of practice which provides a methodology for competent Building Professionals, such as Building Surveyors, and Fire Engineers, to follow in order to complete a Fire Risk Appraisal of the External Walls of a building. These individuals will be tasked with “assessing the scope for, and risk from, fire spread via external wall construction and cladding, such that the outcome can be used to inform a building’s Fire Risk Assessment”.

The PAS 9980:2022 document provides recommendations and guidance on undertaking a FRAEW, and provides a consistent framework to report results. It’s useful to those who make decisions based on the FRAEW outcome.

Detailed Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls reports are produced by Façade Technical Consultants and reviewed by Senior Fire Engineers.

At GTS we inspect Cladding and Façades to make sure that it is installed and maintained correctly, and that it falls in line with Approved Document B, and Manufacturers Guidelines, producing detailed reports and issuing a FRAEW in-line with PAS 9980,
highlighting any shortcomings and outlining any remedial works that must be carried out to ensure compliance.

Andreas, with over 22 years in civil engineering, has a rich background including a six-year consultancy role in UK’s built environment industries. Currently finalising his chartered engineer status at the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), he is known for his approachable style in façade engineering.

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Assessing the fire performance of external wall systems is crucial for high-rise buildings and structures with cladding systems.

We identify any fire risks associated with external wall construction and provide clear recommendations on how to mitigate these risks and keep the building’s occupants safe.

The team is assembled of individuals from diverse backgrounds including fire safety, building engineering, façade engineering firefighting, military, and infrastructure design and build.

Our expert team can provide a breadth of fire engineering knowledge to any project, spanning the built environment and housing sectors.

Offering bespoke fire engineered solutions that cover all aspects of fire safety, ranging from non-standard construction details to buildings that step away from traditional guidance.

Fire Engineering

A Fire Strategy is one of the earliest parts of the conception of a building, being created around the same time as the architects begin to draw out their plans.

A Fire Strategy should strive to be as detailed as possible, and pinpoint multiple aspects of a building that should be addressed in order to ensure a high level of fire safety. It should look at where there are potential risks of a fire starting, how it could spread throughout a building based on the structure and materials specified in the construction plans and designs, and what measures should then be put in place in order to reduce the risk of a fire starting, spreading, and causing damage and loss of life. It should look into both the internal risk of fire spreading, such as compartmentation, ventilation and passive fire protection methods, and external risk, with possible issues arising surrounding cladding and alike.

Our team of experts work hard to ensure that all Fire Strategies carried out by GTS are to the highest standard and are as meticulous as possible, outlining every detail

• Fire strategy production and review for any client in line with the RIBA stages.
• Support at a qualitative design review
• Fire Safety Management Plans to BS9997
• Cladding investigations for residential high rise building in preparation for a EWS1 form to be issued and signed by a charted RIBA member
• Fire Engineered design and review for solutions that do not fall in line with ADB (BS9999 and BS9991)
• EWS1 surveys and Fire Risk assessments for residential and non-residential building
• Fire Strategy Drawings and Compartmentation Drawings
• Provide advice to clients for pre consultation meetings with building control or other local authorities to meet the designer’s vision

Bruce worked for Tyne & Wear Fire and Rescue Service for almost 20 years. Progressing from Fire Fighter, to Fire Engineer, he headed up the commercial arm of the Fire Service in Newcastle

The team is assembled of individuals from diverse backgrounds including fire safety, building engineering, façade engineering firefighting, military, and infrastructure design and build.

Our expert team can provide a breadth of fire engineering knowledge to any project, spanning the built environment and housing sectors.

Offering bespoke fire engineered solutions that cover all aspects of fire safety, ranging from non-standard construction details to buildings that step away from traditional guidance.

Overview

Bowmer and Kirkland is a construction company that was founded in 1923. They carry out construction projects across multiple sectors including accommodation, commercial, distribution, education, frameworks, health, industrial, leisure, retail and sport. The student accommodation which required works was St Marks, which is located in Lincoln, and has over 1,000 rooms which were part of 8 to 12 room cluster flats across 10 blocks and over 9 storeys.  

Brief –  

This project required Global to provide infrastructure and external works to the accommodation. Global were instructed to complete inspections and fire scrutineering in accordance with the role of ICA, as well as providing full fire safety design support, to ensure that fire and quality issues were not duplicated from previous or similar new builds.  

Situation

For 18 months, Global were required to support the fire safety requirements throughout the £94 million scheme. This project required Global to inspect and report on aspects of fire and consultancy, including the passive fire protection, compartmentation and active fire protection.  

After carrying out the surveys, the team reported their observations about the passive fire protection and non-compliance with regulations, such as the double riser not being sufficiently sealed and gaps in the back boxes underneath the cavity of the wall.  

Solution

Global assisted Bowmer and Kirkland by providing them with full fire safety design support. This was achieved by completing fire design reviews as the building of St Marks progressed at the time, in accordance with The Golden Thread Gateways 1, 2 and 3. We also provided technical support when specifying and resourcing materials to ensure that they are correct and compatible. Through the process, the team provided consultancy so that common fire and quality issues were not duplicated or carried forwards from previous builds. The fire scrutineer worked across 3 gateways on this construction project, which were design, construction and pre-occupation.  

Within this report, advice and guidance to bring the building into compliance was detailed, with reference to regulations and what is required for this. For example, the team advised that a rating of FR60 was required for the lift lobby stair door in order to improve the fire resistance. In addition, an observational report was presented to provide an executive summary on the passive fire protection.  

The team also performed a desk top analysis and site visits to ensure that the design and builds were compliant and installed correctly. Therefore, all aspects of the fire safety of a project provide records for the operations and maintenance manual in line with Regulation 38.  

“As Site Manager for St Marks in Lincoln, I have worked closely with the Fire Scrutineering team at Global. Their support throughout the build has been invaluable and insightful. We have greatly appreciated Global’s input and their assistance has allowed us to build a fully compliant and safe building for occupants to enjoy. The team at Global are always happy to help and have been professional and knowledgeable throughout their contract and I would be happy to work with them on future projects”  

Site Manager, Bowmer and Kirkland 

Summary

After Global’s collaboration with Bowmer and Kirkland, St Marks met the fire safety requirements which were needed for the accommodation to be compliant and safe for the students living there. This was allowed though the fire scrutineering works which Global’s team completed due to their expertise in the field.  

Support from 9 AM to 5 PM 

Building Safety Act 2022 

Builders and developers have a legal responsibility to ensure appropriate materials and workmanship meet the statutory requirements in order to ensure compliance.

Limitations periods have now been extended under the DPA (Defective Premises Act) to 30 years retrospectively for buildings prior to June 2022, and 15 years for claims to building secured post June 2022.

At each gateway, Global provide a mixture of desk top analysis and site visits to ensure that all design and actual build details are compliant, installed correctly and of good workmanship.

Global Technical Services (GTS) were appointed to Scrutineer work after an initial enquiry raised by Kier on a site visit, to GRP framed Fire Door Installation. Desktop reviews on the use of materials was undertaken and site visits under GTS’s standard scope of services with written reports to seek clarification, confirmation, or remediation.

Specifically tasked to:

Check the use of materials and products which have been shown by certification,
testing or assessment to have the appropriate fire performance.

Random inspection of sites to monitor the quality of work.

At each gateway, Global provide a mixture of desk top analysis and site visits to ensure that all design and actual build details are compliant, installed correctly and of good workmanship.

Ensuring that at every stage of construction, it is built compliantly in line with the functional requirement of building regulations. Saving both time and money for you and your clients, instilling a great sense of peace of mind that the property is safe for all.

Jody has worked in Technical Management for over 25 years, managing multimillion pound projects. His specialisms are in drywall, fire barriers, fire-stopping and fire containment with extensive knowledge of the built environment. He now leads the Fire Scrutineering team, working on multiple projects.

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We provide independent reviews of fire safety measures in buildings to ensure regulatory compliance and due diligence. By scrutinising every aspect of fire safety, we provide valuable insights and confirm that all fire safety provisions are in place and are functioning as intended.

This service is essential for verifying that buildings are safe and meet all necessary regulations. Our processes span across all RIBA stages, and our reports can give you a good idea of how an official audit might go.

The team is assembled of individuals from diverse backgrounds including fire safety, building engineering, façade engineering firefighting, military, and infrastructure design and build.

Our expert team can provide a breadth of fire engineering knowledge to any project, spanning the built environment and housing sectors.

Offering bespoke fire engineered solutions that cover all aspects of fire safety, ranging from non-standard construction details to buildings that step away from traditional guidance.